Cybersecurity Risk with Wearable Technology in Sports: Why Should We Care?

With technology becoming ever more prevalent in the world of sports, with collecting of data also becoming essential for analysis, the use of wearable medical technology in sports has increased drastically. Take a professional athlete as an example, their use is to track their biodata and optimize their performance. Compared to people who participate in recreational activities, they may simply want to view their BMI, calories burned, and heart rate to help guide them towards a healthier lifestyle. The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities and limitations due to cybersecurity of wearable technology in sports, and in what, way can it influence athletes, trainers, and an organization. This technology is not limited to performance and health, as it can also help predict sudden cardiac arrests which could ultimately even prevent deaths. Despite all the benefits, like any industry with a large market, there is always the issue of conflicting motives and conflict of interests. This could result in unethical behavior and hinder the research and development of wearable technology for all users including one in the sports, with cyber-risks. Implementing a data governance council who has the best interest for a sports individual's security and privacy is key to formulating a successful risk management framework in sports. To protect wearable technologies in sports, this research took the novel initiative.